Some specific types of complaint are dealt with by us, rather than by the Consumer Council for Water. These complaints include:

• those about water and sewerage companies’ powers to lay pipes on private land;
• concerns that the water companies are allegedly breaking their licence conditions or their main water supply or sewerage duties; and
• complaints about anti-competitive behaviour under the Competition Act 1998, for example colluding on pricing or bidding for contracts.

We can also decide on certain disputes between a customer and their water company. Either the customer or the company can refer such disputes to us. Both sides must follow our decision. These disputes include the following.

• A customer’s right to a payment or credit under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme.
• The charges and conditions set by a company for making connections to water mains.
• The terms and conditions for a non-domestic supply.
• The need for a customer’s property to have a separate service pipe.
• The charges and conditions for providing a water main (requisition).
• The terms and conditions for the adoption of a self-laid main.
• The charges or disconnection costs that must be paid to a company before a business customer’s supply is reconnected.
• A refusal to allow a customer to pay by measured charge because a meter is not practical or is unreasonably expensive to install.
• A refusal to allow private sewers and drains to be connected to public sewers, or a requirement to inspect the drain or sewer before allowing a connection.
• The costs and security a company asks for when it connects premises to a sewer.
• The charges and conditions for provider a sewer (requisition).
• A proposal or refusal to adopt sewers or sewage-disposal works, or about the conditions in an adoption agreement.
• The position or suitability of a drain or sewer to replace an existing private drainage system which the company considers to be unsuitable.
• The effectiveness of an alternative sewer that has been provided to replace an existing one that is due to be closed.
• A requirement that a proposed drain or sewer is built so it can become part of a general sewerage system.

We also decide appeals from occupiers of trade premises who are not happy with a refusal or the conditions set by sewerage companies about putting their trade effluent into the public sewer.

You can contact us to find out about referring a dispute, appealing a trade effluent decision or complaining about pipe laying, concerns about breaches of licence conditions or anti-competitive behaviour.

You can find out about the decisions we have made on disputes and appeals referred to us for determination under the Water Industry Act 1991.

Complaints we cannot deal with

Neither we nor the Consumer Council for Water can deal with any complaint about the following.

• Non-regulated businesses. These are activities of the water companies that we do not regulate. These include plumbing services, waste management, engineering and consulting services, hotels, vehicle leasing, media interests, fish farming and all overseas activities.
• Issues between an individual and the company which can be dealt with through the courts. These include questions of law and assessing damages. In certain cases, the law allows the customer to make a claim for loss or damage through the courts.